Uneven feeding (picture attached)

[printcleric]

I'm having an issue with a ValueJet 1304W, does anyone have any idea what might be causing this? Grit roller/feed bar thing, maybe? The pinch rollers are clean. I thought the take-up system might be causing it, but I've tried many different adjustments with the same result. On the right side of the paper in the picture there is a ton of slack, but it is taut on the left side like it should be. Thanks!

 

[FatCat]

My guess would be to check it first by not using your takeup. I've seen similar issues when the take-up bar is not level and it manifests itself more on long runs. If you can, run 20-30 feet of prints (or something longer) and manually engage the takeup reel just to keep the print wound up. If you don't notice any slack, its the takeup.

If that isn't the case, not sure how it could do that because the lower feed roller is one solid roller, and moves the same across the platen...maybe if spring tension is looser/tighter on the pinch rollers maybe...?

Try without the take-up and check back with us. My bet is the take-up is the issue.

 

[printcleric]

I just fed it about 30-40 feet without taping it to the take-up. It did the same thing, but also slowly moved to the side a few millimeters while I was feeding.

 

[printcleric]

Does anyone have any other ideas? I'm desperate, we can only print certain things on this machine now and it's seriously cutting into potential business. :/

 

[randya]

check the 'saddles' that the media bar sits in.

There should be some rollers in there that support the bar, if these are missing or broken on one side it will cause additional drag

Also, this is an older model, check the gritted roller for wear.

 

[Solventinkjet]

The suggestions on here are all good ones. I would suspect that the pinch rollers are worn and not feeding properly.

 

[printcleric]

The gritted roller is pretty smooth, unlike our other printers that feel like sandpaper. Also I'm pretty sure the pinch rollers have never been replaced. Has anyone here ever replaced the roller before? Not really sure what to expect from a part replacement like that. VanderJ, does solventinkjet sell the gritted rollers?

 

[printcleric]

Also, is there a way to know when the pinch rollers are worn? They look the same as the other ones..

 

[tim99]

+1 on pinch rollers here, lift them up and see if they have alot of play in the roller. they should be fairly tight with very little slop.

 

[Solventinkjet]

I do have some aftermarket pinch rollers that we tested and they were too big. You can shave them down to fit but people don't tend to want to do that! That's why we don't have them on the site. I can also get them from Mutoh directly but, unfortunately after speaking with them and letting them know how ridiculous the price is per pinch roller, they did not budge from $26 per roller. You saw that right. It would cost $about $1600 to replace all of the pinch rollers on that machine using OEM parts.

 

[printcleric]

tim99, alot of play in the direction they roll, or side to side? Because they move side to side a little bit.

VanderJ, what's the story on shaving down the big ones? Have you seen this in action? $26 per roller is laughably outrageous. I wonder if they even realize how ridiculous that is.

 

[GAC05]

tim99, alot of play in the direction they roll, or side to side? Because they move side to side a little bit.

VanderJ, what's the story on shaving down the big ones? Have you seen this in action? $26 per roller is laughably outrageous. I wonder if they even realize how ridiculous that is.

These worked in my 1304e and list the 1304w

http://www.digiprint-supplies.com/d...ssy-kit-for-17-pressure-rollers-ky-14255.html
They seem to be OEM but even if they are not they do work - I've had them installed for more than a year now without issues

wayne k
guam usa